Disengageable connection for metal profile bars



p 1954 F. B. DI CASTELBIANCO 2,688,505

DISENGAGEABLE CONNECTION FOR METAL PROFILE BARS Filed June 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRnqco B D: CA STELBI/WCO P 7, 1954 F. B. DI CASTELBIANCO 8 ,5

DISENGAGEABLE commcnou FOR METAL PROFILE BARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed June 30, 1950 INVENTOR. FKHHC B. D! CASTELB/M Patented Sept. 7, 1954 DISENGAGEABLE CONNECTION FOR METAL PROFILE BARS Franco Bianchi di Castelbianco, Milan, Italy Application June 30, 1950, Serial No. 171,438

Claims priority, application Italy April 14, 1950 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a disengageable connection for profile bars, and more particularly to a disengageable connection for profile bars forming the walls of metal lattice structures.

The object of the invention is to obtain a disengageable connection, devoid of movable pieces, for profile bars of metal lattice structures, the said bars being composed of angular profile bars having equal or different webs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disengageable connection of the above character, wherein the crossing of two profile bars does not require the employment of bolts, rivets or other movable pieces for the connection.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disengageable connection for profile bars of lattice structures, wherein the connection at the crossing point takes places directly between two profile bars, without requiring the interposition of wedges and without any increase of volume at the crossing point.

According to the invention, the disengageable connection for profile bars is obtained by deviating a zone of the webs of each crossing bar so as to form two coplanar flat Wings, by cutting and embossing a prong from a wing of each bar and by engaging the other wing of said bar under the prong of the other bar.

Other features of the invention will be evident from the following specification and claims.

For a better understanding of the invention, there will now be described an example of connection between two profile bars at their crossing point, as illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Figures 1 and 2 are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of a metal bar having an angular cross-section, deviated and cut at its central zone, in order to be connected to a fully similar bar;

Figure 1 is a sectional view along the line Il of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of two profile bars according to Figure l, as seen in their mutually connected position;

Figure 4 is a like perspective view; and

Figure 5 is a section made on the line A-A of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings, each angular profile bar I to be connected to a fully similar bar I is deviated and cut at the zone 2-2, 1. e. in the region comprising the crossing zone of the said bars. In this zone the bars are deviated at their edges, so as to form two flat coplanar wings 3, 3, and 4, 4', respectively. One of the wings of each bar, as the wing 3 of the bar I and the wing l of the bar I, has embossed thereon a prong 5, respectively 5', the said prongs being formed by cutting the wing according to two lines 6 and I, close and perpendicular to one another, whereof the line I is parallel to the wing edge, and by embossing the cut length so as to form a protruding prong in respect to the wing plane, having a gate 8 to engage the fiat wing of the other bar. So, a prong 5 and a gate 8 are formed in the wing 3', allowing the engagement of the wing 4 of the bar I. The same is made with the prong 5 and gate 8 in the wing l of bar I (Figure 4), into which the wing 3 of bar I is engageable. By such a mutual engagement, the two profile bars I and I can be crosswise connected, as shown by Figure 3, and readily disengaged by merely turning them about their crossing point.

Moreover, each bar is flattened at each end, as indicated by 9 and 9' for bar l and by Ill and ill for bar I. The four fiat surfaces so obtained must lie on two parallel planes, mutually distant as a half of the lattice upright thickness.

Obviously, the invention is also applicable to profile bars having their Webs of different sizes.

What I claim is:

l. A joint between two crossed bars, comprising in combination, a first bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a second bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a first prong on and extending in the direction of one of said two longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; and a second prong on and extending in the direction of one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar whereby a connection between said bars is made by pushing the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first bar underneath said second prong of said second bar and simultaneously the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar underneath said first prong of said first bar.

2. A joint between two crossed bars, comprising in combination, a first bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a second bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a first flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; a first prong forming part of said first flange and extending parallel with said one of said two longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; a second flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar; and a second prong forming part of said second flange and extending parallel with said one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar whereby a connection between said bars is made by pushing the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first bar underneath said second prong of said second bar and simultaneously the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar underneath said first prong of said first bar.

3. A joint between two crossed bars, comprising in combination, a first bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a second bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a first flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; a first prong forming part of said first flange;

and extending parallel with said one of said two longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; a second flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar; forming part of said second flange and. extending parallel with said one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar; a third flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; and a fourth flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar whereby a connection between said bars is made by pushing said third flange of said first bar underneath said second prong of said second bar and simultaneously said fourth flange of said second bar underneath said first prong of said first bar.

4. A joint between two crossed bars, comprising in combination, a first bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a second bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a first flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; a first prong forming part of said first flange and extending parallel with said one of said tWo longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; a second flange in one of said longitudinal edge portionsof said second bar; a second prong forming part of said second flange and extending parallel with said one of said longitudinal edge portions of'said second bar; a third flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first bar; and a fourth flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said second bar, said third and-fourth flanges having, respectively, the same length as said first and second flanges and being arranged, respectively, substantially opposite to the same, whereby a connection between said bars is made by pushing said third flange of said first bar underneath said second prong of said second bar and simultaneously said fourth flange of said second bar underneath said first prong of said first bar.

5. A joint between two crossed bars, comprising in combination, a first angular bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a second angular bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a first prong on and extending in the direction of one of said two longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; and a second prong on and extending in the direction of one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular bar whereby a connection between said angular bars is made by pushing the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar underneath said second prong of said second angular bar and simultaneously the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular bar underneath said first prong of said first angular bar.

6; A joint between two crossed bars, comprising in combination, a first angular bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a second angular bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a first flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; a first prong forming part of said first flange and extending parallel a second prong with said one of said two longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; a second flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular bar; and a second prong forming part of said second flange and extending parallel with said one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular bar whereby a connection between said angular bars is made by pushing the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar underneath said second prong of said second angular bar and simultaneously the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular bar underneath said first prong of said first angular bar.

7. A joint between two crossed bars, comprising in combination, a first angular bar having two longitudinal'edge portions; a second angular bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a first flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; a first prong forming part of said first flange and extending parallel with said one of said two longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; a second flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular bar; a second prong forming part of said-second flange and extending parallel with said one of said longitudinal edge portions ofsaid second angular bar; a third flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; and a fourth flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular bar whereby a connection between said angular bars is made by pushing said third flange of said first angular bar underneath said second prong of said second angular bar and simultaneously said fourth flange of said second angular barunderneath said first prong of said first angular bar.

8. A- joint between twocrossed bars, comprising in combination, a first angular bar having two longitudinal edge portions; a second angular bar having two' longitudinal'edge portions; a first flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; a first prong forming part ofsaid first flange and extending parallel with said one of said two longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar; a second flange in one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angularbar; a second prong forming part of said secondflange and extending parallel with said one of said longitudinal edge portions of said second angular" bar; a third flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions of said first angular bar coplanar with said first flange; and a fourth flange in the other of said longitudinal edge portions ofsaidsecond angular bar coplanar with said second flange, said third and fourth flanges having, respectively, the same length as said first and second flanges and being arranged, respectively, substantially opposite to the same, whereby a connection between said angular bars is-made by pushing said third flange of said first angular bar underneath said second prong of said second angular bar and simultaneously said fourth flange of said second angular bar underneath said first prong of said first angular bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 362,008 Hodges Apr. 26, 1887 459,900 Moore Sept. 22, 1891 1,022,387 Czimeg Apr. 2, 1912 2,051,640 Kruse; Aug. 18, 1939 

